


Before the Legends Began

by TheEvilestOfTwins



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Backstory dump, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29206404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEvilestOfTwins/pseuds/TheEvilestOfTwins
Summary: We all hear the stories of the group that saved the world, the random travelers who were called upon to stop evil. But where do they come from? What set them on their path to destiny? Why are most of them orphans!? The only way to know is to read their stories.
Relationships: Original D&D Character(s)/Original D&D Character(s)





	Before the Legends Began

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes when people make new DnD characters, they draw them. I have no talent to do so, so instead I write a short story to tell their backstory (All details approved by my DM of course) Since I dont want it to be just me and my DM to be the only ones having read these forever, I figure why not post them here where maybe someone else might enjoy them.
> 
> This first chapter is the backstory of one of my more recent characters, Lokhar. A gold ravenite dragonborn kensai monk

Lokhar had always liked this clearing for his meditation… Just the one stream of mountain run off for noise to fill the silence, plus a cold drink when needed. Just the right number of birds that, after coming here for years, have started to land on him after just a few hours without movement. And best of all, the smell on the wind. It carries not just the smell of fresh snow from further up the mountain, but could sometimes bring him the salt of the ocean, or the ovens at the monastery, the fresh dew on the leaves. Every day he came here it was one or more of these scents that truly kept him company as he lay still for hours, moving the energy within and without as simply as he breathed. But today was somewhat different.

Yes the birds still landed on him after just two hours, and yes the stream still babbled to no one in particular, and yes the wind carried the delightful scent of the ocean from miles away, but today, Lokhar was not doing his normal meditation. He was not sat calmly on the stump of the old cherry tree in the center of the clearing, hands in his lap as usual. No, instead he was standing with naginata drawn, waiting in a ready position for seemingly nothing. Not a muscle moved, save for the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. The birds had found their usual perch on his head and shoulders, with one even curious enough to land on the back of the blade of his weapon. Yet even as their, albeit small, weight should have caused him to shift to adjust, he did not. A passerby would be forgiven for mistaking the dragonborn for a particularly lifelike statue.

This was the warrior’s meditation, a lesson in patience and diligence with the blade, to wait until the right moment to strike, even if it should take an eternity to come. He did not practice this form often, but today was special. Today was a day he needed a lesson in patience. The relative quiet of the glade was at last interrupted by the tension of a bow string being pulled and the twang of the arrow’s release. In a flash of movement, the haft of Lokhar’s Naginata caught the arrow on a course with his throat. Looking at the arrow, he recognized the fletching immediately and pulled it from the wood of his weapon with ease. “I don’t think that’s a good way to greet people Akka.” He called out in the direction the arrow had flown from, while the birds sang harshly at him for suddenly moving.

“Not most people, but it works well for you.” Another dragonborn stepped out from the underbrush, dressed in the same monastic robes as Lokhar, but the necklace around their neck didn’t have as many beads to it. Plus they were about a whole head shorter. “I was beginning to wonder if you were dead, sat there all still like that, so I figured I’d test it.”

“By trying to kill me yourself?” Lokhar replied, as he walked towards his friend and gave them the arrow back. Akka only laughed and responded, “If I thought that could kill you, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Lokhar shook his head at his friend, but couldn’t suppress his own smile. “Do you think that kind of logic might be why Master Nezoc hasn’t advanced you yet?”

Akka scoffed at the mention of the pair’s master. “That old todger doesn’t like anyone but you, the ‘greatest prodigy of a generation.’” Akka threw up air quotes for emphasis and did an old man impersonation for the heck of it. “It takes him ages to get around to advancing anyone. Speaking of advancements though, isn’t your exam today?”

Lokhar nodded and looked down at his necklace, at the 6 beads that adorned it, and imagined a 7th, if just for a moment. “If I pass today, I become an adept, just one step below a master.”

“Are you nervous?” Akka asked as they slung their bow and quivered the arrow. “I know I am whenever I go before the grandmasters. Feels they see right through you, ya’know?”

Lokhar laughed, “That’s because they do.”

“What?”

“Master Nezoc told me about it once. It’s the defining trait of a grandmaster called truesight. They see the world, and people, as they truly are. Apparently it takes decades of meditation and practice to manifest it, and even more to master it. That’s why so few masters become grandmasters.” Lokhar explained. “They see your soul for what it really is, and watch while you complete the exam to judge you.”

“Soooo… They know when I’m lying?” Akka asked, and Lokhar nodded. “... Shit…”

Lokhar laughs again. “Ignoring that you pretty much just admitted to lying to the grandmasters, why did you come out here? No one else knows about this spot.”

Akka looked like they just remembered something important. “Oh shit that’s right. I forgot while I was watching you. Master Nezoc sent me to make sure you come back earlier than usual. Apparently the grandmasters want you for longer than the tradition.” 

Lokhar pondered that for a second. “Did he say why?”

“Nope, and judging by how angry he was about it, he doesn’t know himself.”

Lokhar knew how strange this was. For the grandmasters to break tradition, even a little, was highly irregular. It was often said that tradition was the true grandmaster in the monastery. “Well… I suppose I won’t keep them waiting then.” He says as he begins walking in the direction of the monastery.

“I’ll walk with you.” Akka says and begins to walk alongside him. “It was a bitch and a half to find this place without your help, and I’m not gonna try to find my way back alone.”

The hour or so it took to walk back the area of the monastery was spent in casual conversation between the two old friends. They had come from the same tribe to the monastery to train nearly 10 years prior and had grown up together both before and after. The Ravenites, the tribe they had come from, were among the smallest tribes in the isles and constantly were being forced to move from place to place as greater powers pushed them around. But rather than hate and resent the world for this, they simply adapted and have become the most nomadic tribe of all. Practically all members become antsy when they stay in the same place for too long, adopting a love for travel and nature over the many years of movement. Despite this, it was not unheard of for Ravenites to seek out a monastery to train at, valuing the strength that they know such training can grant.

Lokhar himself dreamed of one day seeing what the rest of the world looked like, of traveling to places unheard of, and seeing things unseen, and he knew the Vundun Monastery that they both attended sent it’s students out to travel and experience the world during their tenure. Akka had always been honest about just being along for the ride, but Lokhar was sure they had their own dreams to fulfill.

After an hour of back and forth, they were back in front of the Monastery gates. Akka sighed as they arrived. “It took me twice that time to find that spot you know?”

Lokhar chuckled and responded, “That’s kind of the point.” As they crossed the threshold into the courtyard where a group of beginners were doing drills. “If anyone could find it, it wouldn’t be so quiet.”

Before Akka could respond, Master Nezoc was already on top of the pair. The old bronze dragonborn looked at them both with an air of disappointment, but that was also his stock expression, so it didn’t mean much to them. They both bowed as he approached.

“It certainly took you long enough Akka. I’ve been here waiting for hours now.” Before the chastisement of his friend could spark (another) argument between the two, Lokhar stepped in and bowed in apology.

“It was my fault Master Nezoc. My choice of location and focus on my meditation made it difficult to retrieve me. But I was told that the grandmasters wish to see me for longer than usual?” He rose and asked in an effort to change the topic.

Master Nezoc scoffed at the idea that Lokhar was to blame, but allowed the subject to change. “Yes, and before you ask, I’ve no idea why. I was simply told to present you an hour earlier than tradition dictates. A time that is now not far off, so if you would please follow me to the trial hall. Akka, you will return to your room for the day and meditate.”

Akka bowed in response as Nezoc turned to leave. “Thanks for the save, and good luck.” They whispered before heading off towards the bunk house. Lokhar gave a nod and wave before following after his master.

Unlike walking with Akka, walking alongside Nezoc held no conversation, just the quiet expectation of silence. When they finally came to the gates of the trial hall, Nezoc stopped and turned to his student. 

“As is tradition, I will now present you for an advancement trial. I shall give you no warnings, and you shall continue into the hall alone. Do you understand this?”

“Yes master.”

“Then continue inside, and bring you master honor.”

As they finished the traditional exchange, Lokhar bowed and left his presence, approaching the large red wooden gate that stood between him and the trial hall. Reaching it he stood and waited. He knew that no matter how hard he pushed on the doors, they would not budge an inch. He would wait until the doors opened, and from the moment they did, he would be on trial.

So he waited, every second like an hour to him, until finally the doors began to move. They were slow, and groaned like the wood itself was in pain. Lokhar kept his weapon strapped to his back as he strode into the hall. Every step measured, every movement according to tradition.

The hall itself was kept dark, but thanks to his Ravenite heritage, Lokhar could make out some of what was in the darkness. Four large pillars held the ceiling aloft far above him, and he could make out a vague shape moving... no, prowling was the word, on the very edge of what he could see. Despite his curiosity, he kept his eyes forward on the only lit spot in the room, the three grandmasters in front of him, their faces lit by only the candles scattered around them. He did not know their names, and didn’t think anyone did if he was honest, the only thing to distinguish them was their race. From left to right they were a human, a silver dragonborn, and an elf, and all of them looked ancient. 

Ending his walk about 5 ft from the center master, a spot Lokhar assumed to be the dead center of the room, he bowed, and waited. As he did, he could feel the sight of the grandmasters peeling him apart, every piece of him placed under a magnifying glass and examined… judged. The only sound to fill the void was that of burning wic from the candles, until a single word was spoken from his left… “Begin.”

Instantly his weapon was in his hands and he took up his ready position, glaring out into the darkness, waiting for the first sign of whatever would be his opponent. In a flash it struck, literally flying out of the darkness at him. He only had an instant to recognize it as a chimera before it’s goat head collided with him.

He reflexively brought up the haft of his weapon to block it’s head from hitting him but was still pushed from the sheer force of the hit as the chimera dragged him along. Recovering from the blow, he pushed it back to quickly strike, barely nicking the goat head’s shoulder. That left him just barely enough time to dodge the flame that ripped from the mouth of the dragon head by ducking, but this left him open to the claws that just barely touched him. Swinging with his fist, Lokhar missed the lion’s jaw, but managed to connect with his follow up naginata attack grazing the dragon’s cheek and prepared for the counterattack.

Unfortunately he couldn’t have prepared for the sheer force of the strikes and took a bite from the lion head on the arm, only to be knocked from it’s jaws by a swift strike from the goat’s horns. When it tried to claw him once more though he was ready to block the blow, and while it was somewhat open he called upon his own fire, trying to blast it’s underbelly, only to be blocked by the creature’s wing in defense, diminishing the damage. The beast responded by having the dragon head bite into his side while the goat hit him with the horns again, once more giving Lokhar just barely enough time to block the claws as they aimed for his chest. He responded with an attempt to strike the creature with his fist, but missed wildly, almost throwing out his shoulder, and making him off balance as he attempted to follow up with the naginata, which simply scraped along some scales.

The next bite came from the dragon head this time, and seemed to be aimed at his throat, but Lokhar managed to duck out of the way and barely managed to block the goat’s horns this time, but was left too stunned for the claws that caught his thigh. Retaliating with his fist once more, he caught the goat in the throat, which let him bring the naginata up and stab it into its shoulder. As it reeled from the wound, he once more channeled his ki into his defence.

The chimera charged once more, leading with a bite from the lion that Lokhar managed to block, but the horns and claws still managed to catch him. Lokhar was beginning to feel fairly bloody and drained at this point, and could feel that he’s already burned through half his stored ki, and started to get a bit desperate. So he pushed hard, opening with a strike at the goat head that missed, but followed through by stabbing his naginata into the spot between the lion and dragon heads. While it reacted to the pain, Lokhar left his weapon embedded in the creature and ducked under it to strike with two more blows to the lion’s throat, and used some of his ki with an open palm strike to stun the beast while retrieving his weapon with a twirl and moving back into a prepared stance.

He wasn’t expecting it to recover as fast as it did though, so a bite from the dragon and the goat’s horns caught him off guard, and he only just barely blocked the claws.  _ Now, or never. _ He thought to himself as he counter attacked, giving the creature 3 more blows with his hands, as hard as he could hit, and one long slash along its side with his naginata. And though it wavered, seemingly just as wounded as he was, it stayed standing. He could tell both of them felt on death’s doorstep. Lokhar bore many cuts along his body at this point, and the chimera looked much the same, as well as bleeding from each of it’s mouths. Lokhar’s naginata felt like an anchor in his hands, and his body felt like lead. The chimera was readying it’s next attack, and Lokhar knew this one would be the end of him. He breathed deep as time seemed to slow, and turned inward to his last thoughts. He thought of his parents he had never met, gone before he could write them to memory. He thought of his home, his tent with the tribe that he hadn’t seen in nearly a decade. His favorite bread, the smell of the ocean, the way light played and danced in the leaves of trees. But more than all those things, his mind turned to Akka. 

Akka had always been there for him, and Lokhar was always there for them. They faced every challenge together, no matter how great. When Akka faced backlash from the clan for not playing their ‘role’ as a woman, Lokhar was their unerring ally. When they first went hunting together, and the group was ambushed by wolves, they had survived because they each had each other to rely on. It was with these thoughts that Lokhar had a realization all too late. 

_ I don’t think I could’ve picked a worse time to realize I love my best friend… shit. _ He thought as the chimera charged and no time was left for thoughts…

**_CRACK!!_ **

The instant before the beast’s jaws met his throat, the loud crack of wood stricking wood rang out through the hall, and the beast stopped mid motion, it’s teeth a hair's breadth from his scales. Lokhar looked over at the grandmasters, now around 20 ft away after the fight, and saw the elf had a solid block of wood that he had struck the ground with. The center spoke. “Enough. We have seen, and now we will judge.” The chimera complied, though it growled indignantly at Lokhar as it retreated into the shadows once more.

The grandmasters motioned for Lokhar to approach once more, and commanded him to sit and drink a potion so he could remain conscious after the fight, in spite of the blood loss. He sat, drank, and waited for the grandmasters to speak and deliver their judgment. While he waited, and could feel his wounds closing, he was working to process his last thoughts. He had expected to be dead right now, especially given that it wasn’t unheard of for deaths to occur during the adept trial in particular. As a result he didn’t quite know what to do with himself, or how to deal with his personal revelations. Before his mind could jump down the rabbit hole of if Akka felt the same, the center grandmaster spoke.

“You wonder why you live. You may speak freely.”

Lokhar nodded. “Yes grandmaster. Tradition says you do not intervene in a trial battle, even if the student would perish. As well, you asked to see me earlier and longer than tradition says. What makes me special?”

The grandmasters all nodded along with his questions, but only the dragonborn spoke. “Good questions. You also have some of a personal nature swimming in your mind, but they are your own to answer. As to what makes you special, we do not entirely know.”

“What?” Lokhar responded out of turn, not able to help himself.

“Yes,” The human grandmaster spoke now. “All we know is that, to each of us, a dream was granted. One that spoke, not just of you and the importance you shall have in events yet to pass, but of a possible threat to the east.”

The elven grandmaster spoke next, “The nature of this threat is vague at best, and so little news crosses the waters to the isles that we are left sightless and powerless to counter.”

From the center “Ordinarily we would bear no credence to a prophetic dream such as this, but the fact that it came to all 3 of us grants a fair bit more weight. We also suspect the dream’s origin to be of godly nature, but we cannot be sure of which god. Right now we believe it to be Oogan, but cannot be sure.”

Now Lokhar’s head was spinning with brand new questions, and he could feel that none of them had easy answers. “So… I live because a god thinks I will be important in the future?”

“Not entirely.” The human spoke. “You are of a special talent that makes you a valuable student. Never before in the history of this monastery has one risen so rapidly through the ranks as you, nor reached adept at such a young age. To waste such a thing would be a crime.”

“I’m to be made an adept?” Lokhar asked. He knew it was a possibility, as the battle was not the actual exam, but rather the students' composure and mentality during the fight, but still could scarcely believe it.

“Indeed.” Now the Dragonborn spoke. “You faced your opponent with fearless resolve and proved adaptable to the end. And when death seemed a certainty, you faced it with pride and joy in the life you had led, if a little regret for things unsaid. Combine this with your skill and kind heart, we have decided to name you the next adept.” As the grandmaster finished explaining his decision, he extended his hand to present a new bead for Lokhar’s necklace, which he took and quietly strung.

The elf was the next to speak. “Be aware this advancement shall come with a new trial.” Lokhar nodded in understanding. “In accordance with tradition, you will begin your worldly travels on the morrow, but they shall come with a mission. You must explore exactly what events you shall play a part in, and be sure to do just that. As well, you shall identify this possible threat and evaluate it. Determine if it will pose, not just this monastery, but the isles as a whole any threat.”

“I accept this mission, grandmasters, and ask if you have any information for me to begin my search.” Lokhar responded with a bow.

“Only a name… Sora. It is draconic in nature, but do not limit your search to dragonborns.” The human said. “Take this information with you to the mainland, and return only when your travels and investigation have concluded.” Lokhar nods and rises. As he begins to leave, he hears one of the grandmasters speak from behind him. “And Lokhar, make sure nothing gets left unsaid this time.” And the young dragonborn knew that if he could blush, his face would be a bright red.

Master Nezoc was waiting for him outside, and he immediately saw the 7th bead adorning Lokhar’s neck, and lit up with a smile. “Well done my boy, I knew you could do it. Know that you have made your master proud this day.” Lokhar bowed to him in gratitude.

“I thank you for what you have taught me so I could reach this day master. But I must ask that we do not celebrate tonight. The trial was quite taxing on me, and I’m in desperate need of rest.”

Nezoc kept smiling but Lokhar could tell he was somewhat disappointed. He knew the old man loved his drink, and loved drinking with others more. “Of course my boy. Just remember, you can tell none of what happened during the trial, nor what any of the grandmasters said to you. I shall see you tomorrow morning for when you leave.”

Lokhar left his master to his night of solitary drinking and made for the bunk houses, excited to lay down on his bed, if even for a moment. 

Now, ordinarily, every student has a room to themselves, but when Lokhar finally returned to his room he found it already occupied by none other than Akka, who was sat on his bed, waiting for him to return. Once he entered and quickly shut the door behind him, they stood and took stock of him.

“By the gods, you look like hammered shit, what’d they make you fight, a dragon!?”  _ You're about a third right _ , he thought to himself. “Come here and let me help you bandage up before you collapse on the bed like I know you want to.” Lokhar couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he approached them and was sat down in the room’s only chair while Akka retrieved the bandages that they knew Lokhar kept handy.

“It’s nice that the roles here are reversed for once.” Akka said as they knelt down next to him and started wrapping the particularly bad bite wound on his arm. “Usually it’s you patching either me or some other poor soul like this.”

“Mostly you.” Lokhar responded with a smile. He had many memories of doing just this for Akka after the numerous escapades the two would get in. Akka gave him a glare that quickly went to a smile. Only then did they notice the extra bead on his neck, and Lokhar could swear he saw their smile waver a bit. They knew what it meant, they knew that he would have to go, and it looked to him like the reality of that was only just now sinking in.

“So, monastery’s newest adept, where are you gonna go first? This’ll be the first time we’ve been apart in… ever… so I expect you to come back with a whole bunch of awesome stories for me.” Their voice started to quiver while they spoke, and Lokhar could feel their hand shaking while they applied the bandages. “Akka, I…”

“About how awesome the world out there is, and…” They either cut him off or just didn’t hear him. “... all the fun things that every new place holds. The foods, the smells, the people.” The longer they spoke, the more they shook and the more they faltered. Eventually Lokhar did the only thing he could think to do and hugged them, and as he did, he could practically hear the dam burst and felt the tears hit his neck as their claws clutched at the back of his robes.

For a while, all he could do was sit there and hold them, and wait for them to speak. It felt like an eternity, and every sob along the way felt like a knife in his gut. When they did finally speak, it was a weak whisper.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I should be apologizing.” He whispered back

“No you shouldn’t. You’ve always been trying to live your best life, and all I’ve ever done is tag along. A lost sheep that doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

“Then we’re both lost, cause at this point, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing.” His vague attempt at a joke drew a little laugh out of his friend.

“Damn you for making me laugh right now.”

“We make each other happy when we’re sad, that’s the way we’ve always done it.”

“Yeah but things can’t stay the same! Everything about us is about to change in a big way, and honestly… it’s fuckin scary. We’ve never been apart for more than a few days and now you're leaving for who knows how long. I don’t know when you’ll come back, if at all, or if you’ll still be the same person as when you left. If you’ll still be you, or if I’ll still be me.”

That’s when the little voice in his head was practically screaming  _ NOW YOU IDIOT!  _ “Then we’ll learn to love each other all over again. And we’ll do that as many times as it takes. I’ll learn to love whoever you become just as much as I love the you that’s here right now.”

The only response Lokhar got at first was that Akka tightened their grip on him. “You promise?” They said, somehow even quieter than the rest of their conversation so far.

“I promise.” Their grip seemed to escalate to bone breaking, but he knew that was probably a sign that they were happy. 

“Can I stay here tonight?” They whispered into his shoulder.

“If the masters catch us, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Don’t care.” Lokhar nodded and lifted them up from the sitting position they were both in and walked towards the bed

“Then let’s get some rest, cause that chimera hit really damn hard.”

“You fought a CHIMERA!?” Lokhar stopped and paused.

“Forget you heard that?”

“NO”

Lokhar gazed out through the gates that led out of the monastery, all of them lining the stairs that descended the mountain and down into the distance. He’d walked out of them so many times, but this time meant something entirely different. He didn’t know when he would be back, if at all, this time. No one else was there to hear him sigh to himself. Nezoc had gotten so drunk the night before that he was still passed out somewhere, and he had practically had to peel Akka off of him that morning. (In more than one way.)

For their part, because they couldn’t see him off at the gate, Akka had given him a ring (apparently their mother was under the assumption that Akka should have proposed at some point) to always remember where he came from, and who was waiting for him. Akka told him that if he could give it back to them, they’d take that as a proposal, so for right now he decided he would keep it on his necklace with his beads.

“I’m gonna be looking at this thing a lot I think.” He said to himself as he twirled it between his fingers. 

“It’s good to be reminded of home when on a journey such as this.” A vaguely familiar voice said from behind him, “But don’t let that hold your spirit down.”

Lokhar spun around to see who spoke and was greeted by the dragonborn grandmaster. Lokhar immediately dropped into a bow. “Grandmaster, I didn’t know you would be seeing me off.”

“I had not planned on it myself, but then I heard your master was… incapacitated… and given that none but your master is allowed to see you off, thus meaning your partner couldn’t be here, I took it upon myself.”

Lokhar was going to argue the partner part, but remembered about the true sight before he could speak and just sighed. “Thank you grandmaster, you honor me.” He bowed again.

“None deserve to set out alone, but then again, you will be carrying someone with you. Both on your neck and in your heart. If only we all could be so lucky. But like I said, a connection to home is good, but do not let that hamper you. Your kind is well known for it’s love of travel and nature, and that fits with your own dreams as well.” The grandmaster placed his hand on Lokhar’s back and walked him towards the first gate, right to the edge of the stairs that led down the mountain. “So while you are free to miss what you leave behind, remember to keep looking forward, to view the splendor of the world with unmisted eyes.”

Lokhar smiled at the much older dragonborn and took his words to heart. “I will do my best to make not just you, but everyone proud grandmaster.” The older dragonborn nodded with a smile.

“Then get going!” He said with a shockingly firm push that almost sent Lokhar sprawling down the steps. Once he had recovered, Lokhar set out on his adventure, not looking back, his head firmly looking forward.

From his monastery, Lokhar would travel south to the Sea Sapphire and trade his passage on a cargo ship for his help around the deck, but not before he traveled through town helping find pretty much any lost pet or missing child he came across and giving any reward he got to the first homeless person he saw. Once his passage was over, he joined with a new party, and set a course for a new adventure.


End file.
